.gif)
Battle of Serres (1205)
Encyclopedia
The battle of Serres took place in June 1205 in the town of Serres
(Syar) in contemporary Greece
between the Bulgarians
and the Latin Empire
. It resulted in a Bulgaria
n victory.
the Bulgarians
gained control of most of Thrace
with the exception of several larger cities which Emperor Kaloyan
wanted to capture. In June 1205 he moved the theatre of the military actions to the south-west towards the domains of Boniface Montferrat, the King of Solun and vassal of the Latin Empire.
tried to fight back in the vicinity of the town but were defeated and had to pull back to the town but during their retreat the Bulgarian troops also entered Serres. The remaining Latins were besieged in the citadel
. In the negotiations which followed Kaloyan agreed to give them save conduct to the Bulgarian-Hungarian
border. However, when the garrison surrendered, the knights were killed while the ordinary people were spared.
- its citizens desired to join Bulgaria but the Byzantine
nobility led by Alexius Aspietos resisted. After Kaloyan seized the city its ramparts were destroyed and Aspietos was hanged. In the following year the war against the Latin empire and the local Byzantine nobility continued and the Crusader army was defeated once again in the battle of Rusion
.
Serres
Serres is a city in Greece, seat of the Serres prefecture.Serres may also refer to:Places:* Serres, Germany, a part of Wiernsheim in Baden-WürttembergIn France:* Serres, Aude in the Aude département...
(Syar) in contemporary Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
between the Bulgarians
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
and the Latin Empire
Latin Empire
The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople is the name given by historians to the feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. It was established after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 and lasted until 1261...
. It resulted in a Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n victory.
Origins of the conflict
After the stunning victory in the battle of Adrianople (1205)Battle of Adrianople (1205)
The Battle of Adrianople occurred on April 14, 1205 between Bulgarians under Tsar Kaloyan of Bulgaria, and Crusaders under Baldwin I. It was won by the Bulgarians after a skillful ambush using the help of their Cuman and Greek allies. Around 300 knights were killed, including Louis of Blois, Duke...
the Bulgarians
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
gained control of most of Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
with the exception of several larger cities which Emperor Kaloyan
Kaloyan of Bulgaria
Kaloyan the Romanslayer , Ivan II , ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1197-1207. He is the third and youngest brother of Peter IV and Ivan Asen I who managed to restore the Bulgarian Empire...
wanted to capture. In June 1205 he moved the theatre of the military actions to the south-west towards the domains of Boniface Montferrat, the King of Solun and vassal of the Latin Empire.
The battle
The first town on the way of the Bulgarian army was Serres. The CrusadersCrusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
tried to fight back in the vicinity of the town but were defeated and had to pull back to the town but during their retreat the Bulgarian troops also entered Serres. The remaining Latins were besieged in the citadel
Citadel
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle. The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen....
. In the negotiations which followed Kaloyan agreed to give them save conduct to the Bulgarian-Hungarian
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
border. However, when the garrison surrendered, the knights were killed while the ordinary people were spared.
Aftermath
The successful campaign in 1205 ended with the capture of PlovdivPlovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
- its citizens desired to join Bulgaria but the Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
nobility led by Alexius Aspietos resisted. After Kaloyan seized the city its ramparts were destroyed and Aspietos was hanged. In the following year the war against the Latin empire and the local Byzantine nobility continued and the Crusader army was defeated once again in the battle of Rusion
Battle of Rusion
The battle of Rusion occurred in the winter of 1206 near the fortress of Rusion between the armies of the Bulgarian Empire and the Latin Empire of Byzantium. The Bulgarians scored a major victory.- Origins of the conflict :...
.